New Delhi: Coastal areas of north Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh are expected to witness heavy rains and very strong winds as cyclone `Laila` intensified in the Bay of Bengal about 700 km south-east of Chennai.

"The current environmental conditions and weather models suggest that the system is likely to intensify further and move in a west-northwesterly direction towards Andhra Pradesh coast," an advisory issued by the India Meteorological Department said Tuesday.

The weather office has warned that gale force wind with speed reaching 65-75 kmph was likely to commence along and off Andhra Pradesh coast from tonight.

"Fishermen are advised not venture into the open sea," the advisory said citing rough sea conditions.
The weather office said experts were constantly tracking the path of the cyclone and state governments concerned have been informed so that they could plan their response
accordingly.

Monsoon watchers were closely monitoring the impact of cyclone Laila on the seasonal rainfall, which began with showers in Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
Last year, cyclone Aila had hit parts of Orissa and West Bengal soon after the onset of monsoon and sucked moisture from the atmosphere thereby delaying the progress on the
rainfall further.